When I walked into King Soopers on Sunday, I was both surprised and thrilled to see strawberries and blackberries on sale for a mere dollar. Yes, I could buy a pound of strawberries or a small container of blackberries for less than a tall cup of coffee at Starbucks, and I was in berry heaven. Ryan and I bought more berries than we would possibly eat in a week, but I knew there were a handful of recipes I've been hankering to try that could utilize any fruit that didn't make its way directly into our stomachs.

Speaking of which, is there anything better than a fresh bowl of perfectly ripe berries? It doesn't happen often, berries in Colorado are often a bit on the tart side, but when it does, HEAVEN.

I've been meaning to make a coffee cake for several weeks now. I love having a somewhat wholesome breakfast treat in the morning, especially while I'm sipping on a cup of coffee or a mug of green tea. But coffee cakes are especially great in that they can be snacked on throughout the entire day; who wouldn't want a bar of this blackberry goodness before heading to bed?

Ryan is afforded the opportunity to "test" almost all of my baked goods. There are rare occasions when I make something, like a birthday cake, that he can't sample right away. As soon as I pulled this coffee cake out of the oven, Ryan was ready and able to give this concoction his honest opinion, and the cake and I were both very pleased to see the delighted look on his face when he took his first crumbly, buttery, bite. In the past few days, Ryan has enjoyed quite a few slices of this particular coffee cake, and he keeps on telling me, "This is so so good".

So for all of you who read my blog regularly, please know that Ryan readily approves of this coffee cake and that it might even be one of his favorites. My partner, unlike me, has quite the sweet tooth, so be warned that this recipe has more sugar than some of my other "health-conscious" fare. But it is perfect with a strong brew or an afternoon cup of tea. It would also make an excellent end to a dinner with friends or family. In this particular recipe, I used my one dollar blackberries, but blueberries or raspberries would work equally as well.

I allowed this cake to sit in my refrigerator for a few hours before slicing (it most likely will fall apart if you try to slice it while still warm). If you don't mind a messy plate, go right ahead, but if you want clean bars, I would suggest you let it chill in the fridge.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8 square pan with aluminum foil. Butter or grease aluminum foil. 2. In a small bowl, combine ingredients for crumb topping. Using a fork or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour and sugar until crumbly. Set aside. 3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 4. Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl or a liquid measuring cup. Gently fold into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in blackberries and spread cake batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle crumb topping over cake batter and bake in your preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. 5. Allow to cool completely before cutting (I recommend storing the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours before slicing).

My husband and I both love blackberries, just saying the word blackberries is a good way to get his attention and the words coffee cake is a good way to get mine! Plus, this is a beautiful looking coffee cake with the berries for bright bursts of color! I'm going to have to try this one, you really come up with some delicious looking baked goods, keep them coming please.

Reply

Rochelle

05/15/2011 5:21pm

Thanks Monet for the recipe! It was delicious and perfect for our camping trip!! EVERYONE raved about it!!

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